The Perinatal Clinical Research Center is an environment facilitating and supporting programs involving mother, fetus and neonate. It is a vital component of the Medical School in research and education and an avenue for attracting new recruits into this area for study. The viability of this multidisciplinary and dual focused (mother and infant) Center is demonstrated by continuing research themes and the addition of new programs. Members of the Departments of Reproductive Biology and Obstetrics are continuing and introducing new investigations in steroid metabolism, in particular that of progesterone. The Department of Obstetrics continues to extend its studies in the area of high risk pregnancy, antepartum and intrapartum electronic and biochemical fetal monitoring, fetal electroencephalography and neurologic development, computerized data management and diagnosis, environmental influences on the fetus, and maternal-fetal infection. The Pediatric Metabolism group is extending its studies of nutrition and fuel metabolism in the mother, fetus and neonate in the context of maternal diabetes mellitus, placental insufficiency and prematurity. Additional areas of study include the physical properties of the chorioamniotic membranes, placental biochemistry, antenatal genetic and cytogenetic studies, amniotic fluid assessment, and investigations of fetal-neonatal drug metabolism and viral infection. Beyond its immediate research objectives, the PCRC continues to maintain a research environment for training personnel who later have become major investigators in this field. The Center serves as a resource to the hospital, community and region for the dissemination of state-of-the-art clinical techniques for providing optimum care to the high risk mother, fetus and newborn. Finally, by virtue of its presence (a superb research environment) has assisted in the recruitment of substantial new faculty.